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Thursday, March 31, 2011

Some Unwanted Advice for Your Thursday

Some Unwanted Advice for Your Thursday

or a few travel tips

I've been pretty underqualified for most of these advice posts, but this one I feel pretty confident about. I'm a good traveller. I pack light, go hard, and, despite my intrinsic tardiness, always make my flight (knock on wood, puh puh puh).

That said, it's hard to say anything new about travelling. What are your surefire travel tips?

1) Schedule your freak out.

You're going to have one, and you might as well get it over with. Better to freak out while you're packing or waiting for the cab than on the plane or in a strange place.

Angelina Jolie says she only wears black because it's easy and it goes with everything. While that's true, colors can be easy, too, so long as they all go together. Pick a color scheme that shows up in your wardrobe a lot, like red, white and black or cobalt blue, grey and tan.

Specifically, a dress that doesn't wrinkle, a purse that holds everything, a tiny clutch for evenings, and flowy layered pieces that fold up to next to nothing.

4) Leave room in your suitcase.

I was in Germany for 5 days, and was shooting for 4 of them and I still came home with a few suitcase-space-sucking goodies. I'm all for packing light, but it's better to pack smart. Make sure you're not stuffing your suitcase to the brim on the way there.

5) Be realistic.

So, I know that, supposedly if you drink anything other than water and eat anything with salt or fat you'll explode on an airplane or something, but I also know that no matter how many healthy snacks I eat I'm still going to eat the salt bomb peanuts on the plane. So, I find a few healthy tricks that work for me. Like, I bring a bottle of water, drink it before security and then fill it up at the water fountains. And I eat things like grapes or watermelon that are high in water and fiber.

Scarves, sunglasses and bracelets are my favorites, but that's because I lose earrings and tangle necklaces. Do whatever works for you.

7) Don't do any of these things if you don't want to.

Travelling is stressful. Better to be happy and comfortable than anything else.

Update:the consensus seems to be that what goes into the carry-on is very important and I agree. I actually tend to pack everything in my carryon and try to avoid checking luggage whenever possible BUT when I do, here are my essentials:

Agreeeed.Carry on luggage is the hardest I think...I always pack a book (for when you can't have electronics on, or if you are delayed, etc), an extra pair of socks, a small notebook and a pen, and a small concealer stick and blush. Eye makeup makes me look insane after a long flight, so until I can afford first class, I have to make do with my zombie look.

Here is an unwanted advice reply: Buy a piece of luggage that is EXACTLY maximum carry-on size. Then fill it with your essentials: toothbrush, a couple changes of clothes, all of your documents, travel information (hotel bookings etc). This way, if the airline looses your luggage, it isn't the absolute end of the world. Also, save a couple emergency contacts that are local to where you are headed such as a cab company, your hotel number, and the local 911 equivalent. This way you never end up stranded. Have I ever needed to use these emergency measures? Not really. Do they make me 100 times less neurotic and paranoid while I fly/explore? Absolutely.

ZB: Only if you wear it draped around your neck, as a muff, or an underarm clutch. Please let me know how your animalian fashion goes over in Florida...Bea: I have a confession. I bring my Kindle and keep it on.... But with on the concealer and blush only...MadEpiphany: excellent points! I usually try not to check luggage, but when I do I pack all my underwear in my carryon, which proved a life saver when AirFrance lost our luggage for 6 days! And I have, in fact, needed the cab company numbers, although I was in luck because in Germany it is 666-66-66.